Frivolous vs Perfunctory - What's the difference?
frivolous | perfunctory |
Silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner.
* '>citation
* Factcheck.org[http://www.factcheck.org/article133.html]:
Of little weight or importance; not worth notice; slight.
In litigation, a lawsuit filed by a party who is aware the claim is without merit and has no reasonable prospect of success because of a lack of supporting legal or factual basis.
Done merely to discharge a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions; aspiring only to minimum standards.
* 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter VIII
* 1992 , Peter Bowbrick, The Economics of Quality, Grades, and Brands ,
As adjectives the difference between frivolous and perfunctory
is that frivolous is silly, especially at an inappropriate time or in an inappropriate manner while perfunctory is done merely to discharge a duty; performed mechanically and as a thing of rote; done in a careless and superficial manner; characterized by indifference; as, perfunctory admonitions; aspiring only to minimum standards.frivolous
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- One of the major cost drivers in the delivery of health care are these junk and frivolous lawsuits.
Derived terms
* frivolent * frivolously * frivolousnessExternal links
* *perfunctory
English
Adjective
(en adjective)- He did a perfunctory job cleaning his dad's car, finishing quickly but leaving a few spots still dirty.
- I caught the gist of what he was saying--which in effect was that he had found and captured this Galu, that she was his and that he defied anyone to question his right of possession. It appeared to me, as I afterward learned was the fact, that I was witnessing the most primitive of marriage ceremonies. The assembled members of the tribe looked on and listened in a sort of dull and perfunctory apathy, for the speaker was by far the mightiest of the clan.
p. 55,
- Alternatively it may mean that a perfunctory search is enough to ensure that a purchase is acceptable, so less search is carried out.
